Larger parent ships often recover smaller surface water vessels, such as manned or unmanned surface water vessels (USN's). Once recovered by the parent ship, servicing operations on the smaller vessels may be performed. Typically, the recovery of a smaller vessel is accomplished by driving the smaller vessel alongside a stationary parent ship and lifting the smaller vessel by davit into the parent ship. Alternatively, the smaller water vessel may be driven up a ramp into the larger ship.
Traditional methods of capturing smaller surface water vessels can cause damage to the hull of the smaller vessel. For example, some USVs weigh about 20,000 pounds or more, and are made from materials such as aluminum and the like. A capturing method that for example, requires the USV to be driven into a parent ship in an uncontrolled manner can cause damage to the hull, resulting in expensive repairs and loss of operation. Similarly, smaller vessels may incur damage when driven alongside a parent ship prior to being lifted onto the ship.
The U.S. Navy has recently worked on different methods of securing water vessels in open water in locations remote from the parent ship, avoiding unnecessary damage to the water vessels. U.S. Pat. No. 7,975,638 teaches one such application in which a water vessel is captured remotely from a parent ship by dropping a line into the open water. The line may be attached at one end to a parent ship, and the water vessel drives at a relatively high speed over the line and in one or more attempts, scoops up the line into a latching mechanism. It is desired to have an arrangement that captures a water vessel, in a more controlled environment, at reduced speeds.